Kidney Cancer Claims

The disease can be symptomless and only diagnosed incidentally as a result of tests or scans undertaken for a different reason. If there was a failure to recognise the cancer incidentally such that it is diagnosed late, there can be a claim for medical negligence.

Some symptoms of kidney cancer include blood in the urine (haematuria) or a lump in the kidney area. Sometimes, the signs of kidney cancer get missed or are misdiagnosed as an infection, kidney stones or enlargement of the prostate which can also cause haematuria. If there was a misdiagnosis or a delay in diagnosis caused by a doctor failing to properly examine and refer a patient to a specialist (usually a urologist) then, again, there may be a legal claim.

In order to bring a claim, it needs to be shown that the delay in diagnosis has resulted in a worse outcome, usually that the cancer progressed to a more advanced stage due to the delay and so will be more difficult to treat. Short delays may not be sufficient to show that the outcome was affected. If the delay has allowed the cancer to grow and spread to other parts of the body then this is very serious and a successful compensation claim may be able to be brought.